Midnight Garden box

This shot shows you the top and the side of the box. I purchased a wooden box with lid. I sprayed the inside with spray Suede. It took a couple of coats, but alleviates the need to line it with fabric. I then sprayed the outside and top of the box with gold. I next pulled the canvas over the top and cut it to fit the top. I then glued all four sides to the top. Next I folded the corners and glued those. Last, I glued the velvet rick rack ribbon around the edge.

The top view shows the ribbon bow I tied to the top. This will be for a special pin to be attached to the top, by the recipient.

Midnight Garden is finished.

I filled in the last group of leaves, worked on the diagonal, using Silk Mori 4164, four strands.
Lastly I used a single strand of Rainbow Gallery Patina, color 28, to work the single row of tent all around the outside border.
This will get set in the finishing pile (which is getting rather large!) to be turned into a gift later.
Thanks to Orna Willis for a great design, and to the Cyberstitchers group for doing this as a stitch along!

The final posy patch

I completed the last group of eyelets that creates the posy patch on the bottom left. I used Gloriana Silk overdyed, 122. I worked this with four strands also. You can see there is only one little patch left to fill in and this will be the last grouping of leaves.

Half Rhodes stitches

Tonight I put in six rows of half Rhodes stitches to the left of the cushion stitches. Again, I used Silk Mori, this time in 6124. Then instead of French knots I put in Delica beads in color F644. I think this is a wonderful design and it is a very pretty garden!

Starting the bottom

Finally, a decent photo of the canvas I am working on! I think I have this figured out and this is pretty close to the pink overdyed canvas color. I started the bottom row tonight with another patch of flowers. This is worked in the cushion stitch pattern as above, and this one I used Silk Mori, four strands in 6124. I thought it might be too grey, but I like the way it picks up the blue in the top row, same position. I filled this one in with Magnifica beads, 10068. I have three more sections to put in, along with the border. This is quick, fun, and interesting due to changing threads and embellishing!

A few more leaves

Tonight I added another group of leaf stitches. They are identical to the ones in the top row, but placed horizontally. I used four ply of Needle Necessities 1065 to work this area. I am very pleased with how this is turning out, and impressed with how quickly it stitches up.

Another patch of posies

I added a new flower patch tonight! It is supposed to be bullion stitch on the diagonal lines. I put in six, took them out. I put in five more, took them out! I was using four strands and fighting with it all the way. I sat back, put that fiber aside, and picked up the Kreinik #8, 041. I used two strands and made the four sided shapes using that. Then, using four strands of Silk Mori 624, I made the crossed stitches that were called for. I like it. Some days are not bullion days and this was mine!

Row two is finished!

I finished up the cushion stitch and then used Kreinik #8, 041 to make the French knots in the center. Moving to the left, I worked the double cross stitches in Silk Mori, four strands of 625. Next the combination of leaf stitches that form a square are done in Silk Mori, four strands of 4163. The last pattern in the row is worked again in Silk Mori, four strands of 0643. I am using the laying tool for all these stitches to get maximum sheen to compliment the Kreiniks.

Row Two

I started on the left side with the Eyelet variation using four ply of Kreinik Silk Mori in 4166, green. Then using Ombre 1600, I coiled under the eyelet. This is a variegated silver and pink fiber. Last I put in French knots with Silk Mori 6126 in dark purple. I started the four Cushion stitches with four strands of Silk Mori 6116 in the dark mauve, but did not quite finish them. I think the flower garden is growing nicely!

Midnight Garden

As a member of Cyberpointers, http://www.cyberpointers.org/, I am participating in a stitch along designed by Orna Willis called Midnight Garden. The original design can be seen on Orna's blog on the right, Ornaments, and was done on a black canvas with several Caron Waterlilies and Watercolours threads. First, I did not have any black canvas....I thought I did, but today I could not find it. I found white, off white and pink. Pink will work since it is an overdyed and maybe this could be a garden at sunset in the summer. Okay then, pull the Waterlilies and Watercolours that I have in the stash. Yikes, what a mish mash of a collection. Okay, put those away....what other silks.....Cascade Silks I have not tried......nope, not enough and why did I buy two of four colors? Move on. Not enough A ver a Soie either. Silk Mori! I have tons of those! Okay, maybe not tons, but enough to put a mauve and green palette together. Also, pulled a couple of Needle Necessities overdyed. Yes, I know they are cotton, but I need some varigation!
Okay, I can live with this!

First I used Needle Necessities 1001, four strands and did the eyelet stitches in the top right. I think these are pretty flowers. Then, I used the Needle Necessities 1060, four strands and worked the leaf stitch variation on the left. It is actually a lot greener and less blue in person. I think this is a good start.